Josh Howard gets right to the point when he talks about a controversial period in his NBA career.

"I was young and dumb," the Timberwolves' new forward said Saturday, Nov. 17.

Howard is 32 now, wiser and willing to talk to any youth who has the time to listen about making better decisions and staying on a path to success.

Signed by the Wolves as a free agent Friday, Howard can speak from experience about what bad judgment can do to a person.

Since a turbulent stretch in 2008 -- when Howard admitted in a Dallas radio interview that he smoked marijuana, was arrested for drag racing and was captured on video making a disparaging remark about the national anthem at a charity football game -- he has been diligent about "cleaning up my image" and becoming a better role model, not just for his three kids, but other young NBA players who have sought his advice.

"I'm a better person than what I was back then," said Howard, who reiterated his apologies Saturday for the controversies. "People make mistakes. I knew I had to clean up some things. I want to be able to share my experiences with kids to let them know they have to stay focused on their goals. Some kids don't have a chance to understand things growing up. I was one of those kids. I didn't have a father figure growing up, so I learned things the hard way."

Howard, who had six points, two rebounds and two steals in Friday night's 106-98 loss to Golden State, grew up in Winston-Salem, N.C., and was raised by his mother, Nancy Henderson, and his grandmother, Helen Howard.

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Howard said his mother and grandmother were a big part of the motivation to reshape his image after his troubles in 2008 when he played for Dallas.

"They've been role models for me as long as I can remember," Howard said.

Howard still lives in Dallas after playing six seasons for the Mavericks and runs a youth basketball camp in the area. He also started the Josh Howard Foundation in his hometown and participates in a mentoring program called "No Excuses" at the Paul Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.

"I've always reached out to kids," Howard said. "Whether we like it or not, kids look up to us. As athletes, we have a very important role. In the speeches I give, I tell kids the choices are simple. That's what we try to instill in them."

Howard, an NBA all-star in 2007, came close to having more time to do his community work than he preferred. He became an unrestricted free agent after playing with Utah last season but went through the entire offseason without an offer. He was unable to get a contract after receiving moderate interest from Chicago, Brooklyn, San Antonio, Philadelphia, New York and Charlotte.

Howard continued to work out in Dallas in hopes that a team would call. In addition to concerns about how he might affect a team's chemistry, Howard was battling back from two surgeries on his left knee. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament two weeks after Dallas traded him to Washington in February 2010 and needed surgery on the same knee last summer to remove a loose bone chip.

The Wolves judged Howard's knee to be fine during a physical and signed him to a one-year contract to help the team weather its injury problems.

"It's part of the league," Howard said. "A lot of players go through it. I felt more of a low point in my career when I tore my ACL. I had to sit out for almost a year and a half. That was as tough as anything. I'm healthy now, and I want to show Minnesota I can still play."

Howard is expected to get that chance. He was signed by the Wolves in part to give the team more depth at the small forward/shooting guard position after Chase Budinger was lost for three to four months with a knee injury.

"I plan to take full advantage of whatever time is given to me and try to be a leader," Howard said. "I know they have leaders on this team, but I want to help any way I can."